Civil Engineering and Structures

Mathis, Paul, Mentzer, Nathan, Children's Technology and Engineering

introduction

How do human beings determine where they should live? Many places on this planet are considered extremely harsh and uninhabitable for humans. Yet, humans have gained a foothold in some of the most unlikely places. Places like this could lead you to ask yourself questions like "How could I survive here?" or "What could I build to help support life in an inhospitable landscape?" Humans have been shaping the environment to enhance their survival for thousands of years. The search and development of life-sustaining necessities, such as food, water, and shelter, can be extremely taxing on inhabitants. Civil engineering was developed as a system to create the structures and infrastructure required to make the quality of life better for all of us.

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Civil engineering plays a major role in all levels of life, such as landscaping, highways, roadways, sewer systems, water works, urban developments, rural developments, and many other large-scale projects. It is involved with the construction of dams and power stations that provide electricity, water and sewage treatment plants that provide safe drinking water, and the paths and roads we use to travel to and from work. Civil engineers are also stewards of the environment. They help by planning different ways to reduce pollution of our water, land, and air while working on existing problems by assisting with both cleanup and disposal of pollution. Much like the Egyptians, Romans, and Mayans, who built civilizations long ago, the …

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Publication information: Article title: Civil Engineering and Structures. Contributors: Mathis, Paul - Author, Mentzer, Nathan - Author. Magazine title: Children's Technology and Engineering. Volume: 15. Issue: 4 Publication date: May 2011. Page number: 12+. © 2010 International Technology Education Association. COPYRIGHT 2011 Gale Group.

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